Get lost in the captivating whirlwind of Tokyo for three magical days. Explore the city’s towering skyscrapers, ancient history, and vibrant culture.
A sea of immense, gray skyscrapers and well-dressed humans walloped me the moment I stepped foot off the train in Tokyo, not unlike the opening scenes to at least a dozen high-budget sci-fi films I’d seen. The city is, to say the least, overwhelming.
I’d spent the week prior trekking with Walk Japan from Kyoto to Tokyo on the Nakasendo Way (walkjapan.com/tour/nakasendo-way), an ancient pilgrimage path that weaves together ancient Edo-era history with Japan’s rural outposts. After days of traversing rolling hillsides and visiting age-old Buddhist temples and traditional ryokans, nothing could have prepared me for the full-on sensory barrage that is the largest city in the world. I felt as though I’d stumbled into a less-violent version of Blade Runner, a place of such futuristic, visual meticulousness that I couldn’t help but feel out of place. Like any good non-player character, I high-tailed it to my hotel and swiftly began Googling massage spots nearby to ease the tension of arrival.
Japan has long been touted as a luxe, ultra-expensive vacation spot that’s out of reach for most travelers to venture to comfortably. However, in recent years, Japan’s official currency, the yen, has fallen to its lowest point (relative to the U.S. dollar) in 38 years, due to a large interest rate discrepancy between the two countries. In 2024 alone, the dollar is up 14% against the yen.
Western travelers can finally reap the benefits of this global economic tension, because budget- friendly Japan has become a reality, if only for a short window of time. My trekking tour company, Walk Japan, had set me up with a chic, modern hotel in central Tokyo, the Royal Park Hotel Iconic Tokyo Shiodome (1 Chome-6-3 Higashishinbashi, Tel. +81-3-6253-1111. royalparkhotels. co.jp/ic/tokyoshiodome), and I spent my first day unwinding and meandering the Beverly Hillsesque streets of the ritzy Ginza neighborhood until I found the well-rated and affordable Thai massage center, BUASAWAN (1- 13-9 Eiraku Bldg. 3F. Tel. +81-90-2982-5935. buasawan-group.com), where a strong, petite lady squished and soothed my sore hiking muscles for a full hour, before I stumbled back towards the hotel, beaming.
The Giant Ghibli Clock Designed by Hayao Miyazaki (Photo by Serg Zastavki)
Though I’m a massive fan of famed Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki and his company, Studio Ghibli, which produced hits like Spirited Away and Ponyo, I had no idea that reservations for the Ghibli Museum, roughly an hour from central Tokyo, needed to be secured months in advance, before they sold out to rabid anime fans. So, I did what any self-respecting Ghibli fan would do—I marched over to the The Giant Ghibli Clock (1-6-1 Higashi Shimbashi, Minato. tokyocheapo.com/place/nittele-giant-clock), which was designed by Miyazaki himself, to take in a sliver of his magic. As luck would have it, this enormous, animated steampunk marvel was just across a narrow walkway from my hotel. It creaks into action with music and a series of quirky, sculpted characters each day at noon, 3 P.M., 6 P.M., and 8 P.M., and I was right on time to get a front row spot for the the action just as the sunset began to turn the city a thousand shades of gold.
That night was my group’s farewell dinner after our long trek along the Nakasendo Way was a formal affair in one of the Royal Park’s private dining rooms, with crunchy puttanesca toasts, beef shabu-shabu, and seabass with garlic sauce gracing the menu. Though I’d indulged in a week of rich, multi-course meals for the entirety of my walking tour, I was antsy to get out and explore the big city on my own. So, rather than opting for Walk Japan’s additional two-day city tour of Tokyo, which focuses on much of the Edo-period history of the city that I’d experienced extensively during my trek, I said goodbye to the group and struck out on my own to spend a few wallet-friendly days in the country’s capital.
Street Life Portrait Of Amazing Fashion And Culture In Harajuku (Photo by FiledIMAGE)
Japan has made strides towards marriage equality in 2024, with the Sapporo High Court and Tokyo District Courts ruling that the government’s current ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. As such, much of the country is crossing its fingers for a legislative movement to secure equal marriage rights across Japan. Even though gay marriage is not yet fully legal in the Land of the Rising Sun, my trekking guide, a longtime resident, assured me that the country, which is famous for its politeness and rules, was incredibly safe for queer-identifying people, like me, to venture out in alone. I visited during the first week of April, peak cherry blossom season, and visitors from across the globe were out in droves. The blossoms, or “sakura,” are only in full bloom for about a week, and witnessing them is a sacred experience for many Japanese, as the blooms have come to represent rebirth, transience, and renewal after a harsh winter season. Visitors to Tokyo during this magical spring period can expect occasional rain showers and temperatures around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, which I consider to be perfect city walking weather.
These delicate pink blossoms stand in stark contrast to Tokyo’s imposing modernity. As one of the densest cities in the world and the home of over 37 million people, it’s hardly a place that many would consider for a nature-filled escape, or even a meditative retreat. More than any other place I’ve been after venturing to all 7 continents, Tokyo overwhelmed my senses and challenged my need for personal space. I had to challenge myself to keep my “awe switch” dialed up high as I meandered through what often felt like an alien experience.
Because the dollar is so strong, I was able to nab a small, clean room at the impeccably modern (and new as of 2022) Via Inn Prima Akasaka (2 Chome-6-17 Akasaka, Tel. +81-3-3505-5489. viainn.com/en/akasaka) for about $80. After dropping my bags, I downed a cup of coffee from a streetside vending machine (the city is full of them) and opted to spend my caffeine buzz perusing some art.
Light Sculpture At The Mori Art Museum (Photo by Edu Snacker)
First up? The Mori Art Museum (53 Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6- Chome-10-1, Tel. +81-50-5541-8600. mori.art.museum/en), a hub for all things contemporary visual arts that had my jaw repeatedly dropping as I perused room after room of mind-bending street art from the likes of Banksy and Swoon. Then, it was off to my reservation at Harry Harajuku modest hotel in central Tokyo boasted an ultra-clean and minimalist bathhouse, and after a mind-melting soak, I drifted off to dreamland.
The next morning, I challenged myself to chow-down on a 7-11 breakfast, having heard loads of great things about the Tokyo outposts of the famed convenience store. After nabbing a banana, yogurt, and pastry, I high-tailed it back to Harajuku for another taste of Japan’s kawaii scene. Reissue Café (Tanji Bldg 2F, 3-25-7 Jingumae. Tel. +81-3-5785-3144. reissue.co.jp) is revered for its second-to-none 3D latte art, and getting a table at this hip, centrally-located coffee shop can be a bit of a chore, so I made yet another reservation to be sure I’d get seated. The local baristas here are adept at conjuring anything out of milk foam, from adorable French bulldogs to anime characters, so I had them fix up an iced latte with a cuddly Totoro creature on top.
Sunday In Yoyogi Park With The Dogs (Photo by Dr. Gilad Fiskus)
Explore the wonders of Japan’s most populous city and discover the unique cultural and culinary offerings that make this one of Asia’s go to destinations.
Since I had the good fortune of being in Tokyo during the absolute height of the cherry blossoms, I tried to get a break from the barrage of stores and city sprawl, heading over to Yoyogi Park (2-1 Yoyo-gikamizonochō, Tel. +81-3-3469-6081) to check out the light pink blooms and decked-out club kids walking their cute puppies, as a friend had recommended. The only catch? It was a warm weather Sunday afternoon, and the cherry-peeping crowds were out in full force. It was hilariously crowded, with hardly a space to stand and gawk, let alone plop down a picnic blanket. The annual Wanwan Carnival (tokyocheapo.com/events) was also that day. This annual festival is dedicated to primped, adorable pups of all sorts, and dozens of stalls selling everything from custom-made chihuahua tutus to human-grade dehydrated beef treats lined the park’s avenues. Everyone, it seemed, had descended on Yoyogi Park.
Once again, I made the best of the unfamiliar masses of people and tried to flip my “awe switch” back on, marveling at the handmade hound costumes and onslaught of trendy human outfits that flooded my vision on every street corner. By the time dinner rolled around, I was exhausted. I shuffled over to Harajuku Okonomiyaki Yai Yai (6 Chome 8-7 1F Jingumae. Tel. +81-3-3406-8181. opefac.com/restaurant/yaiyai), which serves up savory, griddled pancakes stuffed with shredded cabbage and meat that are a staple of Japanese cheap eats. Each region of Japan has its own, local variation of the dish, and Okonomiyaki Yai Yai was slinging Osaka-style eats, complete with fried noodles, bonito flakes, and plenty of sauce on top. As usual, Japan was sending me to bed full to the brim with delicious food.
Emily Eating Ramen at Michelin-Starred
Konjiki Hototogisu (Photo by Emily Pennington)
As luck would have it, an old friend from my years in Los Angeles was also in town for the cherry blossoms, and because she’s a chef with her finger on the pulse of Tokyo’s food scene, she had done some research and found out that Tokyo is home to three different Michelin-starred ramen restaurants. The only catch? Nabbing a table at them can be a tricky adventure. Together, we decided to test our luck at Konjiki Hototogisu (2 Chome-4-1 Shinjuku. Tel. +81-3-5315-4733. sobahousekonjikihototogisu.com) where, if we played our cards right, we could get a tasty bowl of high- quality ramen for only $10.
It was pouring rain that morning, and we decided to take our chances that the Tokyo foodies wouldn’t want to wait in the torrential downpour at 9 A.M. to get a ticket, then come back at that reservation time for the tiny back alley restaurant and its steamy bowls of 60- ingredient ramen. We were spot-on. Mere minutes after stepping into the dreary line outside the tiny noodle shop, I had a ticket in hand that would allow us to come back at 12 P.M. for lunch.
In the meantime, we escaped the chilly rainstorm and strolled the delightful food hall of the Isetan Shinjuku department store (3- Chome-14-1 Shinjuku. Tel. +81-3-3352-1111. https://cp.mistore.jp/global/en/shinjuku.html). Unlike any American or European department store I’d ever encountered, the space felt more like a twee Wes Anderson set than a real-deal storefront full of ordinary shoppers. An entire floor was dedicated to fine foodstuffs, including meticulously crafted cakes and colorful gift-wrapped fruits, plus fancy boxes of tea and small, delicately packaged baked goods.
Hedgehog Cafe (Photo by RPA Studio)
Many of the items were reasonably priced, so I picked up a few more sakura-themed gifts for my friends back home. By this point, ramen was beckoning me with its siren song, and my friend and I hurried back to the restaurant to have our tastebuds astonished by Konjiki Hototogisu’s blend of pork and clam broths, with perfectly-firm noodles and a dash of truffle and porcini oil for that crave- worthy umami punch. It was well worth the effort. Afterwards, we visited the Mipig Harajuku (1 Chome-15-4 Barbizon 1F, 15-4, Jingu-mae, Shibuya Ku. Tel. +81-3-6384-5899. mipig.cafe/en) together as a little post-lunch treat, cuddling with rose-pink baby piglets and sipping green tea while our bellies digested.
To walk off some of our lunchtime calories, my friend suggested that we check out her old neighborhood of Nakameguro and its famous Meguro River Cherry Blossoms Promenade (tokyocheapo.com/). As I sauntered along the quiet, urban riverwalk on a gray day, I realized that this was the cherry blossom experience I had been dreaming of all along. It was no effort at all to kick my awe switch back into high gear as we strolled under veil white blossoms that drifted towards the river like fresh, silent snow. We walked in utter astonishment for over an hour, marveling at the miraculous nature of glimpsing a peak cherry blossom weekend in the largest city in the world, amazed at the stark contrasts that we humans can create and then revere.
Even for expert travelers, Tokyo can be a total mixed bag that jostles the senses. Strolling around, tourists will encounter century-old temple guardians engaged in ancient rituals, sky-high buildings that defy gravity, and robot cafes beckoning you into the future. World-class art comingles with Pachinko parlors and arcade games vying to take your money. Vending machines display sandwiches, cigarettes, and beer down the street from three-star Michelin restaurants.
This is the very same diversity that allows you to tailor-make your adventures and witness the Tokyo of your dreams, whatever that may be. The awe and the overwhelm, if you lean into them, are both integral to the experiences, and the fun.
